Darren James Homan: Groper Creek boat crash trial commences in court

Witnesses have begun giving evidence in the Groper Creek boat crash trial, saying how they remember hearing a loud noise before seeing two men ejected into the flooded river, with one never to return.

UPDATE - 11:15AM: “Stuff was flying everywhere”.

Regan Falco was in another boat when Justin Scott was ejected from Darren Homan’s tinnie.

Mr Falco gave evidence on Tuesday morning and said he saw Justin Scott go out of the boat after it hit the jetty’s pylons.

He said the tinnie hit the third pylon first followed by the second pylon.

Mr Falco said when he reached Homan’s tinnie, Jamie Levitt was sitting in Homan’s arms unconscious with a “gash” across his face.

He said he remembered “fast water”, and “bumpy” conditions.

He said he was not aware another pylon was submerged under flood waters at the time of the incident.

UPDATE - 9:30AM: DAY two of the trial of Darren Homan has commenced on Tuesday.

Video evidence was played to the jury and showed how turbulent the flooding water was as it passed over the submerged Groper Creek jetty.

35- year-old Justin Scott went missing in floodwaters at Groper Creek on February 8, 2019.

Another video was played showing a number of boats sitting idle in the river before they took off.

One of the boats was identified as the tinnie that Justin Scott, Darren Homan and Jamie Levitt were sitting in before the incident occurred.

Justin who the court heard on Monday was flung out of the boat was seen in the video sitting at the front of the tinnie.

11:15AM: “Stuff was flying everywhere”.

Regan Falco was in another boat when Justin Scott was ejected from Darren Homan’s tinnie.

Mr Falco gave evidence on Tuesday morning and said he saw Justin Scott go out of the boat after it hit the jetty’s pylons.

He said the tinnie hit the third pylon first followed by the second pylon.

Mr Falco said when he reached Homan’s tinnie, Jamie Levitt was sitting in Homan’s arms unconscious with a “gash” across his face.

He said he remembered “fast water”, and “bumpy” conditions.

He said he was not aware another pylon was submerged under flood waters at the time of the incident.

The trial continues.

Darren James Homan (LEFT).

DAY ONE:

A COURT has heard the decision to take a boat into raging flood waters before it smashed into a submerged jetty caused the death of a 35-year-old after he was ejected into a river.

Justin Roy Scott was in a tinnie on February 8 2019, with two men, Darren James Homan and Jamie Levitt, when it smashed into a Groper Creek jetty launching him into the Burdekin River, never to be seen again.

A trial commenced in the Townsville District Court on Monday after Homan was charged with dangerously operating a vessel causing death or it’s alternative, general obligation on persons involved with operation of a vessel to operate it safely causing death.

He pleaded not guilty to both counts and is contesting the charges.

In his opening remarks, Crown Prosecutor Andrew Walklate said Homan unsafely operated the boat when it took it into the flood waters, in and around the then submerged jetty at Groper Creek.

He said the water around the jetty was turbulent and fast moving and dangerous to be in.

Mr Walklate said Homan’s actions caused the death of Justin Scott because of his decision to move the boat into the jetty’s vicinity.

The trial heard from four witnesses on Monday, the first was Senior Constable Timothy Farran of the Townsville Water Police who said he was called on February 8 to Groper Creek because of reports of a collision.

He said the water conditions were very rough, the water was flowing fast with “whirlpools and debris” in it.

He said there were rapids flowing over the jetty that was “completely submerged” and a search was underway for a missing man, Justin, which was ultimately unsuccessful.

Jeanette Garvey whose house overlooks the jetty and witnessed the incident unfold gave evidence on Monday afternoon and said she saw the boat crash head on into a pylon and ran inside her house to call triple-0.

She said she saw the boat initially complete a circle of the submerged jetty before it again headed into the river at “full throttle” before she heard a “loud impact”.

Her husband Daniel also recounted the events before the jury and said he saw the boat take off across “rapids” into the middle of the river and do a U-turn, and come back to a boathouse. He said a couple of minutes later it took off again along the same path before it turned left and headed “straight towards the pylons” and crashed into them.

The trial resumes on Tuesday. 

Originally published as Darren James Homan: Groper Creek boat crash trial commences in court